Narcos (2015)
TV series · Crime, Drama
Stream itif you want a high-octane, gritty dramatisation of history that blends documentary footage with intense action.
A brutal, fast-moving chronicle of the drug trade that balances documentary-style realism with high-stakes thriller elements. It is a violent and often exhausting journey through history, renowned for its craft and uncompromising tone.
What it is about
A gritty chronicle of the war against Colombia's infamously violent and powerful drug cartels.
Trailer
What Narcos is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this series feels like a breathless, adrenaline-fuelled sprint through recent history. The pace is unrelenting, punctuated by archival news footage that grounds the stylised violence in a chilling reality. It balances a cool, analytical narration with sudden, visceral explosions of conflict, creating an atmosphere that is both intellectually stimulating and physically tense.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
It is essential viewing for fans of sprawling crime sagas who appreciate moral complexity and do not mind reading subtitles. However, those sensitive to graphic violence or who prefer clear-cut heroes should skip it. A significant caveat is the series' intense nihilism; the cycle of corruption and bloodshed can feel relentless and occasionally exhausting.
The right evening for it
This suits a night where you want to be fully gripped by a complex, high-stakes narrative. It is perfect for binge-watching when you have the mental energy for a dark, sophisticated history lesson.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
How Narcos leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
Expect to feel both enlightened and thoroughly drained. It leaves you with a heavy sense of the cyclical nature of violence and the immense difficulty of fighting systemic corruption.
How Narcos ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
After going on the run and hiding in a safehouse, Pablo Escobar is tracked down by the DEA and military via radio triangulation. During a shootout on the rooftops, Escobar is shot twice before a Colombian policeman named Trujillo executes him. In the aftermath, Escobar's wife Tata seeks help from the Cali cartel to leave the country. Javier Peña returns to the United States expecting a reprimand for his links to Los Pepes, but he is instead asked to provide intelligence for a future operation against the Cali cartel.
The series closes on the shifting landscape of the drug trade following Escobar's death. Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, leader of the Cali cartel, surprises his associates by announcing that the organisation will leave the cocaine business within six months to focus on legal interests. This leaves the future of the cartel's booming international business uncertain and met with mixed reactions from within its own ranks.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
City of God (2002)
the same kinetic energy and gritty portrayal of drug-related violence
Sicario (2015)
the same bleak, uncompromising look at the war on drugs
ZeroZeroZero (2020)
the same cold, documentary-like precision in depicting the global narcotics trade
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Narcos soundtrack
Music by Rodrigo Amarante and Pedro Bromfman
![Narcos: Mexico (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) [Music from Seasons 1, 2 & 3] cover](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music116/v4/cd/7a/32/cd7a32c3-1600-5a3c-37a5-34d5f0e7fe48/3663729117366_cover.jpg/300x300bb.jpg)
Narcos: Mexico (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) [Music from Seasons 1, 2 & 3]
Gustavo Santaolalla, Kevin Kiner & Rodrigo Amarante · 2021 · 32 tracks
Listen on Apple Music- 1Tuyo (Narcos Theme) [Extended Version] · Rodrigo Amarante
- 2El Recuerdo · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 3Narcótico · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 4Cooking · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 5Fifty Fifty · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 6What the Americans Have Been Doing · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 7Martilleo · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 8Memoria · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 9Wait to Follow · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
- 10Going Back · Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner
Album and songs from Apple Music.
Awards
Narcos was nominated for Best International Programme at the BAFTAs.
BAFTAs
- Nominated: Best International Programme · 2016
From Wikidata, which can miss some.
Questions people ask
- Is Narcos an authentic series?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Authentic, with a tense streak. A brutal, fast-moving chronicle of the drug trade that balances documentary-style realism with high-stakes thriller elements. It is a violent and often exhausting journey through history, renowned for its craft and uncompromising tone.
- How many seasons of Narcos are there?
- 3 seasons and 30 episodes. It has finished, so you can watch the whole thing.
- Where can I watch Narcos in the UK?
- In the UK, Narcos is included with Netflix (all plans).
- Was Narcos nominated for any awards?
- Narcos was nominated for Best International Programme at the BAFTAs.
- Who composed the music for Narcos?
- The music for Narcos is by Rodrigo Amarante and Pedro Bromfman. The soundtrack album, Narcos: Mexico (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) [Music from Seasons 1, 2 & 3], has 32 tracks.
- What songs are on the Narcos soundtrack?
- Narcos: Mexico (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) [Music from Seasons 1, 2 & 3] has 32 tracks, including “Tuyo (Narcos Theme) [Extended Version]” by Rodrigo Amarante, “El Recuerdo” by Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner, “Narcótico” by Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner, “Cooking” by Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner and “Fifty Fifty” by Gustavo Santaolalla & Kevin Kiner, and more. It is on Apple Music.
- Is Narcos worth watching?
- Stream it: if you want a high-octane, gritty dramatisation of history that blends documentary footage with intense action. IMDb users rate it 8.7 out of 10 from 522,089 votes and TMDB users 8.1.
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